UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: CeCe Osgood

Thursday, 10 July 2014

CeCe Osgood's novel, The Divorced Not Dead Workshop, has recently been released (and we love the cover!). Divorcee Dorsey decides to set up a workshop for the divorced, only to find herself with plenty of problems in the form of ex-husband Theo and a group of rebellious attendees. We put our weekly questions to CeCe in order to find out more about the novel, and what inspired her to write it.

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.It’s about the self-discovery you need to get back into the dating world after divorce. .

What inspired you to write The Divorced Not Dead Workshop?I had a chat with a newly divorced friend, and I remember the terror I’d felt about dating again. Divorce is so scary, and you really do have to discover a lot about yourself during that time and later on, when you begin to even think about finding love again. Then one morning I woke up with the title, the main character, the setting (a cruise ship for the most part) and a smidgen of the plot. So….I just had to write it.

Where do you do most of your writing?I used to work on a desktop (seems like century ago now, oops it was…in the ‘90s!) but with my laptop I can go where ever there’s wifi, like my hometown’s lovely library. But really my favorite place is in bed. I take a lot of breaks though, for circulation, since I’ve heard sitting for long periods can be hard on the old bod. Plus, I have two bossy little cats who demand things, like food and attention, so…again, more breaks.

What is your favourite book?Oh, so many! That’s impossible to answer. For romantic comedy/chick-lit, I’m a big fan of Sophie Kinsella’s Can You Keep A Secret. It really inspired me to write in that genre. I like most of her standalones, especially Wedding Night and I’ve Got Your Number.

Other favorites are The Help, Nora Roberts’ The Witness, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale,The Thorn Birds...The list goes on and on.

Which part of The Divorced Not Dead Workshop did you enjoy writing the most? I loved the interaction of Dorsey with her BFFs, Pilar and Mimi, and their antics during the dating workshop on the cruise ship. And I love the ending too. It made me sigh with happiness for that wonderful moment of realizing you’re opening your life to “whole new world.”

Who is your favourite literary heroine? I guess it would be Jo March of Little Women. She was the first female character I remember as child who seemed like me, or the me I wished to be. She’s a tomboy. She’s outspoken and independent. She loves reading and writing, and she’s more than willing to break the stereotype of the taciturn, reserved, frilly female who was the norm then and, I’d venture to say, in some places still today.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?First, is to remember that the first draft is only one of many. Next, is to search for unnecessary repetition in dialogue, plot and action. Read as much as you can, of course, and also remember, as Nora Roberts said, “You can fix anything but a blank page.” (I have to remind myself of this all the time.)

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us? I’m on a first draft of a mystery. At the moment, it seems to be a “chick-lit mystery” which I hope will become the first in a series. I also have another wee idea but I’m not at all certain what it will be. A novel? A short story? It’s too soon to tell.

Thanks, CeCe!You can find out more about CeCe Osgood and her books by visiting her website,Facebook, or by following her on Twitter.The Divorced Not Dead Workshop by CeCe OsgoodDivorced five years and recently dumped by Theo, Dorsey Bing brainstorms about a dating workshop for divorced people. Too bad she’s an idea person with zero follow-through. That changes when her pal, Pilar, sets up the workshop, puts herself in charge and gets Dorsey to be her “gofer.” Dorsey’s widowed stepfather Ralph, and his bride-to-be, Audrey, ask Dorsey to join their wedding cruise to Cabo, which will be held on the same weekend. Dorsey and Pilar nip that problem by holding the workshop during the cruise. But do things ever work out as planned? No. No, they don’t. Everything goes topsy-turvy with a startling mishap, rebellious workshop attendees and the arrival of Audrey’s good-looking but wily nephew Finn. More trouble comes with the unexpected re-appearance of Theo. Will Dorsey and Theo revive their relationship? Will she discover Finn just might be a back-stabbing rat bastard? Facing failure and heartbreak, Dorsey must tackle her biggest challenge if she’s to win the love, and life, she’s always desired.